Internal-combustion engine



Jan. 22 1924.

R. F. LEVENS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 20 1920 E E E Q? NQ\ 5 Q2 mm mm mo .wm 11mm DJ v w Q. x no N a MW mm mm Jan. 22 1924.

' 1,481,266 R. F. LEVENS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 20, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 iz wz 524 3 M22; 2. Eda

cflzforrzey,

"Fan. 22, 1924. 1,481,256 R. F. LE VENS I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 0-, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V/// /////A 4 ////l vQzfim/zey R. F. LEVENS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Oct. 20, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet r 4 Invefl/or uorzzey Jan, 22, 1924. 1,4152% R. F. II-EIVENS INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE -22. x t v I 77 as 26 as 'm 109 m y 18 a LL\\\.\

Fatented Jan. 22, 1924,

TED ,ST ES PATENT err-m noscon r, LEVENS, or PORTSMOUTH, ianonn ISLAND, assrenon, Burma '1' AND- MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE LEVENS MQ'IOR COMPANY, 'INCOBPQRATED A CQR- ronerron'or-nnonn isnann rivrnnnan-comspsrion' ENGINE.

Application filed ember 0, 1920: Serial m. 41s,147.

To'all whom it may concern Be it known that I, R-osoon F.'LI:WENS, a

citizen of the United States, residing. at I Portsmouth, in the county of-Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Inter nal-Combustion Engines, or iwhichthe fol lowing is a specification.

.Myinvention relates to internalcombus tion engines and has for its essential ob ects cooling the cylinder whereby water jackets may be dispensed with; to prevent heat loss; 1 to introduce the fuel into the cylinder chamber at a high 'temperature whereby, a less degree of compression is required to raise the charge to the ignition point; to enable the engine'to be changed in operation from a twocycle to a four cycle or other higher cycle system or vice versa; to enable this change to be efiected in any piston rod en g-ine of any number of cylinder units as well as in a single, nonopposed, and nonmultiple engine cylinder; and to effect the enumerated purposes in a compact, certain, and simple structure.

To the above ends essentlally but not exclusively, my invention consists in such parts and in such combinations of parts as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims- In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this s ecification Fi ure 1 is a side e evation, partly in l0n gitudinal section of an-internal combustion engine illustrating the same in its present and preferred form of embodiment,

Figure 2, a plan view of the cylinder and adjacent parts,

Figure 3, a side elevation of the same" showing a portion in section online 33 of Figure ,2,

Figure-4t, a rear end elevation of the cylinder' omitting the pulley or fly wheel.

Figure 5, a plan view of the intake cam, Figure 6,. an elevation of the same, Figure 7 a section taken on line 77 of Figure 6,

Figure 8, an enlarged section taken 'on line 88 of Figure 5,

Figures 9 and 10, sections taken on lines 99 and 10-1O respectively of Figure 1,

. Figure 11, a section on line llll of F igure 2 i Figures Y12 and 13, plan and side elevatio respectively 'of the exhaust cam,

igure 1 4,, section-0t the same-lon'line Figure 15,'a fragmentaryside elevation of a portion of the engine opposite that'shown in Figure 1. l

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the views.

- The frameof-my engine may be'of any construction best suited;for supporting the operating parts. The form thereof herein .sho'wn compmses a base 17 carrying two supports ls-ior the ends of a cylinder 19. The latter comprises an outer cylindrical wall 20, and an inner wall 21, intermediate cal air chamber'22. The 'wall 21 has at its forward end oppositely disposed ports 2 leadlng from the chamber 22 to the piston chamber 25. The cylinder has the usual .heads 26 and 27, the latter carrying the gland 28 for the piston rod 30 of the piston 31. The upper portion of the cylinder casmg at each side of the air and piston chambers has laterally extended portions 34 and 35. In the front portions ofthese are seats 36 and 37 for poppet valves 38 and 39 respectivell whose depending stems and 51 are slida ly mounted in the extensions and carry helical springs-52 and 53 which-press at their-upper'ends against the extensions,.

tensions and are tensioned by springs 64 and 65 engaging the latter and washers 66 and 67 fast to the respective stems.

The rear portion of the side of the extension 34' has an intake opening 69 which'in four cycle operationadmits carbonized air "which walls is aresultant annular cylindrito a chamber 70 below the valve '60 and leads it through the seat 5 8, and through a passage 72 above said valve into the air-chamber 22 where it is preheated. Thence the fuel is sucked by the piston through ports 24 in chamber 25 and is then returned by the not of thepiston expels the products of com bustion from the piston-chamber through an exhaust. passage 77 above the valve 39,

through valve seat 37 ,u and through a chamber 7 8- below the latter valve, communicating "yvith' the atmosphere through an openin y i two- -cycle operation the fuel is drawn through the opening"69,' chamber 70, passage 72, chamber 22, ports 24 into chamber 25, and-returned .through. .ports 24v into chamber- 22 already described, andfth ters passage 81', and passesthi F I valve. seat '59 and a' passa e 83 int'ci the piston chamberQ {:During t e upstroke-the products of. combustion are expelled throu'gh the assalges'77 BJ1d78'fa l1dthe opening 79. as escri our ed int-connection with the cycle eration.- -The uel in its course from the carburetor .throughthe" chamber 22pcools the cylinder wall-e and 21,- In chamber '22 the fuel absorbs-heat from the combustion chamber "25 which,-radiates from the partition 21.

This absorption not only conserves heat units that would otherwise be 'lostbut cools the cylinder partitions. The introduction of this heated fuel intothe combustion chamher in front of theiston lessens the degree of heat that otherwlse would be required to be generated by the forward or compression movable in a soc .stroke of the piston.

The engine frame includes parallel guide ways 85 projecting hori ontally from the forward end of the cylin er, connected by a cross bar 86 supported by a post 87 fast to the base 17. cross head 89 of common construction on the wheel 107 fast to one end of the main shaft 109, which carries upon its other end a, fly

,wheel or pulley 110. The shaft 109 is journaled in .bearmgs 111 in the supports 18.

The described toggle lever mechanism con- -verts the reciprocating motion of the piston rod to rotar motion in the main or crank shaft. The atter has fast thereto a gear 112 meshing with gears 113 and 114 on cam shafts 115 and 116 respectively,:journaled at opposite sides of the cylinder in bracket arms 118 and 119 respectively. Slidably moun ed on the'shaft 115 is a cam member 121.' In detail, as shown in Figures 5 to 8' inclusive, this member comprises a leeve 122 142 to an intermediate hand lever 144 pivotal y attached at 146 to iston rod, and sliding 1n the guide ways, e braces in its socket 92' amass provided with an internal longitudinal channel 125 to slidably receive the feather 126 seated in a longitudinal groove 127 in the shaft 115. At one end of the sleeve is a laterally extending cam shoulder 129, and at its opposite end are two diametrically oppositely dis osed cam shoulders 130 and 131.

The shou der 130 is of greater longitudinal extent than the shoulder 131. Intermediate its length the sleeve 122 has an external annular groove 133 adapted to loosely receive a in 135 in the end of a lever 136 fast intermediate its lengthgto a rock shaft 137 journaled in walls 138 upon the supports 18 and constituting a part of the cylinder support.

Pivotally connected at 140 to the opposite end of the lever 136 is a link 141 pivoted at ortion of an arm or a standard or arm 147 fastened by ascrew 148 to the base 17. It will be observed that the manual movement of the lever 144 through the link and lever device longitudinally reciprocates the cam member 121 upon its shaft 115. Notwithstanding the engagementof the member 121 by 'the stud'135 it will be observed that such engagement does not preclude the-rotation of the member 121 wi h the shaft 115. This is due to the free dom of the pin 135 in its transverse peripheral groove 133.

-Longitud1nally slidable on the shaft 116. as shown in Figures 12 to 14 inclusive, is a cam member 150 comprising in detail a sleeve 151 slidable on a feather -153 in the .shaft 116. Upon one end of the sleeve'is a laterally extending cam shoulder 155, adj acent which upon the sleeve are oppositely disposed cam shoulders 156. Upon the other end of the sleeve 151 are diametrically oppositely disposed cam. shoulders 158. The sleeve 151 is provided with an annular groove adapted to loosely receive a pin 161 u on the end of a lever 162' fast' to the rock s aft-137. It will be observed that the cam members 150 have both longitudinal and rotary movement similar to that described in connection with cam members 121, and are movable in unison by the lever 144.

Lateral bosses 164, spaced from each other upon one of the supporting walls 138, have journaled therein tappet pins- 165 and 166 respectivel The pin 165 is in the path of cam shoul er 129, and the pin 166 is in the paths of shoulders 130 and 131. The upper ends of the tappet pins 165 and 166 are respectively adjacent the lower ends of the valve stems 50 and 62 respectively. The bosses 168 and 169, spaced from each other upon the opposite supporting wall 138 of the cylinder, have slidablymounted therein vertical tappet pins 171 and 172 respectively. The lower end ofthe pin 171 is in the path of the cam shoulders 155 and 156. The pin stems.

' lowsmsmee wa "o erate; its four cycle it will be understood that the operator will slide the cam members 121 and150 by lever 144' to such a position asto bring the' cam shoulder 129 inline with tappet pin .165 and cam shouldenl3'0 in the path of tappet pin 166.

Inwhic'h relative position the cam shoulder 155 will be in the path of tappet pm 171 and the tappetpin 17 2 will'not be in engagement wlth any cam surfaces whatever.

" When the-engine is operatmgasa two cycle structure the .cam members 121 and 150' are'longitudin'allymoved to such a position that as the valve members rotate there is no 1 contact whatever between the valve shoulder case.

member 129 with the tappet 165. The tappet pin "16 6 isfhowever, in the athof cam shoulders 130 and 131. In thls operative 'cycle the cam shoulder 155 is out of contact ;with the tappet pin 171.-'but the latter is in the path of cam shoulder 156. The tappet.

pin 172is, however, in this cycle in the path of cam shoulder 158. a

It is deemed essential that the precompression take place in the annular chamber 22 surrounding the cylinder and that th s chamber be cut off from communication with the crank case, it being understood that precompression in the present instance does not at any time take place withln the crank B this means the cool gases entirely surroun the cylinder and tend to cool the latter and yet are preheatedby the heat generated in the cylinder. Furthermore by reason of this auxiliary annular chamber 22 being shut ofi' from communication with the crank case there is no danger of leakage of the gas from the latter, as happens in .the present type of two cycle engines;

The'operation both as a four cycle and as a two cycle engine is as follows:

As a four cycle-beginning with the carburetor the gas is taken in through thednlet valve through the auxiliary chamber 22,

I through the passage 75 into the piston-chamber following the piston on its travel towards the piston head on the compression stroke. When the piston reaches the extreme limit of its travelgases being now compressed in the cylinder, ignition takes place firing the compressed charge and drives the piston outward on its'working the piston when the engine is running four cycle and on eve stroke when the engine is running two cyc e, or 1t may remain open all the time with the engine running two cycle;

lhe inlet valve from the carburetor having closed the next travel of the piston will push out the burned gases through the exhaus't port 77 and the passages 78 and 79,

thus scaven ing the cylinder. The gases that were riven through the passage 83 back into the auxiliary chamber where they were held under precompression having followed the piston back through passage 83, re-expanding them. The piston reversing itsdirection will drive gases back through passage 83, precompressing them slightly, the pistonicontinuing its outward movement will uncover passage permitting precompressed gases to flow from the chamber 22 into the cylinder. 25. The continued out: ward travel of the piston will push all gases that are on the underneath side of said piston through auxiliary chamber 22 leaving the chamber 25 full of combustible gases ready for compressing by the piston on its next'stroke completing the four cycle op.- eration.

Asa two cycle-beginning with the carburetor gases flow through the inlet valve through the chamber 22, through the passage 83 and follow on the under side of the piston to the end of its inward travel. The piston llO combustible as, i ition now taki lace this charge is fir g and drives tli riistoii outward, the piston having previously drawn in a charge of combustible gas on its under side through chamber 22 and passa e 83 now drives this charge of combustib e gas back through the passage 83 into the chamber 22 where it is held under precompress'ion until the piston has passed the passage 83. Just previous to the piston having passed the passage 83 the exhaust valve has opened, permitting burning gases under expansion to escape and the piston continuing this outward stroke passes the passage 83 when the valve controlling this passage 83 opens and permits gases that were precompressed in the chamber 22 to chamber 25; The next inward stroke-f the piston again compresses the gas that has just entered the chamber through-the passage 83 were the same series of operations again takes place. It is to be noted that the same intake port is common to operation of theengine either as .a four or two cycle.

The described cooling. and cycle changing means are utilizable in every type of engine.

whether of single or multiple unit construction, using a piston rodand not a connectingrod. 4

y changing the who of the gears 112 2 and 113 the structure may be made a permanent four or two cycle engine.

The invention is not limited to the specific form herein illustrated and described,.but

may be embodied in-.other' forms 'withou t departure from its spirit as defined'in the following claims It is intended, that all matter contained in the above description or' shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as. illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. In an internal combustion eng1ne,a cylinder comprising inner and outer cylindri cal walls with an intermediate annular alr chamber shut off from communication with sage between the cylinder and said air cham-- ber, to prevent communication therebetween during four-cycle operation.

In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder comprising inner and outer cylindrical walls with an intermediate annular air chamber shut off from communication with the crankcase and closed at both ends, a

menace piston reciproczible in said cylinder, a pisf ton rod connected with said'ipiston and reciprocable' through one end-of the cylinder, a gland for said piston rod, said air chamber .forming a precompre'ssion chamber,

there being ports affording communication between the cylinder and air chamber at one end of the-cylinden'exits from'said air chamber, there being a valve-controlled pas-'- sa'ge between the cylinder andsaid air charm her, to prevent communication therebetween during fou r-cycle operation; said. cylinder formed with lateral extensions with chambers communicating-with. the air chamber and the cylinder, and'cam controlled' valves having stems working through the walls of said extensions and controlling said chambers.

cal walls with. an intermediate annular air '.chamber shut off from communication with the crank case and closed at both ends, a 'piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a piston .rod connected withsaid piston and recip- -3. .In aninternal combustion engine, a cy1-- inder' comprising inner and outer cylindriro'cable through one end'of the cylinder, a I

gland for said piston rod,said air chamber forming a precompression chamber, there being ports affording communication between the cylinder and air chamber at one end of the cylinder, exits from said air chamber, there being a valve-controlled passage between the cylinder and said air chamber, to prevent communication there: between during four-cycle operation, said cylinder formed with lateral extensions with chambers communicating with the air chamber and the cylinder, cam-controlledvalves having stems workingthrough the walls of said extensions and controlling said chambers, said cylinder having lateral bosses, and tappet pins working through said bosses and interposed between the stems of said valves and the cams. v a

In testimony whereof'I have aflixed' my signature.

' ROSCOE F. LEVENQ 

